Have you ever wondered what goes on behind the gates of those ivory tower admissions offices?

A person in all black stands in front of a closed iron gate outside of a university. Photo by Nikita LITVINOV on Unsplash

I promise it's not that deep.

I'm an admissions officer with about 20 years of experience in higher education. Find out what an admissions officer does and how to get started if you think that career sounds like fun!

What does an admissions officer do?

Applying to college or university can be daunting! Applicants often need guidance and support throughout the process and that's a major part of what admission officers do.

They also help make sure cohorts and programs are filled with the right students — a diverse and complementary group with strong foundations that can learn and grow together.

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So what does that actually look like? Well, it can vary, but usually...

What an admissions officer does:

  • Advise applicants

  • Calculate GPAs

  • Research international schools and education systems

  • Review essays, reference letters, and standardized tests (like the SAT, IELTS, LSAT)

  • Make recommendations or decisions on admissibility

What an admissions officer doesn't do:

  • Student recruitment

  • Marketing and/or advertising

  • Hard math! (there are usually tools or software to do it for you)

  • Career counselling

  • Program or curriculum development

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What is the working environment like?

Where do admissions officers work?

Admissions officers are usually found at:

  • universities

  • colleges

  • trade schools

  • K-12 private schools

This means they usually work with teenagers and young adults, but sometimes mature professionals who are coming back to upskill!

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Campuses can range from a few classrooms in an office building to a sprawling mini city! You may be lucky enough to find yourself in a beautiful heritage building or overlook a busy city square!

An old cathedral-style campus building covered in ivy. Photo by Darya Tryfanava on Unsplash

What's in it for you?

  • Decent starting salary (~$45,000 in the US & ~$50,000 in Canada )

  • Pension

  • Discounted/free education

  • Interesting and diverse students

  • Access to library, gyms, pools, recreation

  • Events, sports, showcases, concerts!

There's got to be a downside...

  • The processes, policies, and red tape will kill your soul

  • Big faculty egos = big workplace politics

  • Straight-up admissions jobs can be boring and repetitive

  • Not AI-proof

  • Universities are slow to innovate and slow to kill bad ideas

Sounds interesting...what are the job requirements?

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A hiring manager will be looking for...

  • Critical thinking skills

  • Research ability

  • Communication skills for diverse audiences

  • Experience at a university/college (working or studying!)

  • Fluency in multiple languages

  • Experience as an international or exchange student

  • Good basic math skills (i.e., summing, averaging, converting scales) 

  • Basic technical skills (or ability to learn them!)

Quiz

Let's say you have just finished your degree and are looking for your first full-time job. Which of these might you connect to an admissions officer job application? Select all that apply:

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